Jer 37:14 | KingComments | STEP | When the army of the Chaldeans has moved away from Jerusalem and the siege is lifted, there is freedom to go out of the city again ( ). Jeremiah also uses that freedom, for he has an inheritance in Benjamin and he can now go and accept it ( ). But it turns out to be too early to take possession of it. In any case, he is stopped by the captain of the guard the moment he wants to go out of the city through the Gate of Benjamin ( ). The Gate of Benjamin is so called because behind it is the road to the territory of Benjamin. The captain of the guard Irijah, the son of Shelemiah – and probably the brother of Jehucal ( ) – arrests him and accuses him of wanting to defect to the Chaldeans. Jeremiah vigorously denies this, but his defense is in vain ( ). Irijah arrests him and brings him to the officials, the leaders and judges of the city. The officials are angry at Jeremiah ( ). Without trial they beat him and put him in jail. That jail is the writer Jonathan’s house which they have made into a jail. If a scribe’s house has become a jail, it does indicate that the scribe is not a scribe who writes about the freedom of the LORD. It is in that house that Jeremiah, the prophet of the LORD, who had the words of the LORD written down, is imprisoned. This is his second captivity after an earlier short one ( ). Jeremiah is imprisoned because they hate his message. They hate him because he preaches the word of God. It is the perfect opportunity for them to silence this man. The accusation is fabricated, but they believe it themselves and find in it a motive to silence their conscience. It is like the opposition to the preaching of the apostles and prophets and especially to that of the Lord Jesus.

‏ Jeremiah 37:14

Jeremiah Charged With Treason

When the army of the Chaldeans has moved away from Jerusalem and the siege is lifted, there is freedom to go out of the city again (Jer 37:11). Jeremiah also uses that freedom, for he has an inheritance in Benjamin and he can now go and accept it (Jer 37:12).

But it turns out to be too early to take possession of it. In any case, he is stopped by the captain of the guard the moment he wants to go out of the city through the Gate of Benjamin (Jer 37:13). The Gate of Benjamin is so called because behind it is the road to the territory of Benjamin. The captain of the guard Irijah, the son of Shelemiah – and probably the brother of Jehucal (Jer 37:3) – arrests him and accuses him of wanting to defect to the Chaldeans. Jeremiah vigorously denies this, but his defense is in vain (Jer 37:14). Irijah arrests him and brings him to the officials, the leaders and judges of the city.

The officials are angry at Jeremiah (Jer 37:15). Without trial they beat him and put him in jail. That jail is the writer Jonathan’s house which they have made into a jail. If a scribe’s house has become a jail, it does indicate that the scribe is not a scribe who writes about the freedom of the LORD. It is in that house that Jeremiah, the prophet of the LORD, who had the words of the LORD written down, is imprisoned. This is his second captivity after an earlier short one (Jer 20:1-3).

Jeremiah is imprisoned because they hate his message. They hate him because he preaches the word of God. It is the perfect opportunity for them to silence this man. The accusation is fabricated, but they believe it themselves and find in it a motive to silence their conscience. It is like the opposition to the preaching of the apostles and prophets and especially to that of the Lord Jesus.